Curtain stretcher



Oct. 30, 1951 iW. H. BOTHE :CURTAIN STRETCHER `Filed Sept. 4, 1947 OMM, a 92M@ A-r-roRNEYs Patented Oct. 30,

UNITED STATES PTNT FFIC CT Werner H. Bothe, Kenosha,- Wis.,l assignor to v Worldsbest Industries, Inc;, Cudahy, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin .attesta estratta 4, angsten No. 772,175 ecia'is. 01. zar- 54) The invention relates to curtainy stretchersand more particularly ton a'tt'ingl for securing", hinged bar sections of the` stretcher together"A and' also clamping a b'ar extending at' right angles thereto to said hinged barsections'. x, y. ,l

One object of the invention is to provide antting in which'hinged bari sections, usuallythose forming the top' andbottombarslof the stretcher areA securely locked together without weakening the hingegand at the same time one ofthe' vertically disposedbars, usually the center' bar is firmly clamped to the `top or bottom bar, the :fitting being equally applicable to either the top or bottom bars.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fitting including a U-shaped clamping bolt having a shank end mounted in one of the hingedly connected bars and a free end passing through alineable openings in the hinge members of said bars to secure the bar sections in alined position, the intermediate portion of said bolt receiving the right angularly disposed `bar within it and clamping said bar between it and the hinged bar.

The invention further consists in the several features hereinafter set forth and more particularly dened by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational View of a curtain stretcher, parts of which are equipped with the fitting embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged rear elevational View of the fitting Fig. 3 is a detailed horizontal Vertical sectional vievv taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional View taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged rear elevational View of the hinged joint for the bar sections with the clamp omitted.

Curtain stretchers embody top and bottom bars 6, side or end bars 'I, a vertical center bar 8, and a vertical adjustably mounted bar 9 secured together by various fittings to form a stretching frame, the top and lbottom bars, one of the end bars, and the bar 9 usually being provided with pins IIJ on Which portions of the damp curtains or other fabric are impaled to stretch the fabric and permit of drying them in a stretched condition.

The present invention is concerned with a iitting which locks together the hinged sections II and I2 of either the top or bottom bars 6 and also secures to these locked bars the vertical center bar 8.

Referring to Figs. 2 to 5 of the drawings, each of the bar sections II has a metal hinge plate I3 secured thereto byr'ivets III and each of*v the bar' sections I2 has a metal hinge plate I5 securedn to it by rivets I6, said plate I3 having a portion I'I overlapping the outer end portion of the' `plate I5 and forming ay straightnedg-e I8. Each of the plates I3 and I5l are provided `With laterally disposed apertured -ears I9 through v vhich a hinge pinwZD, operatively *securingl the bar sections IIfand I2 together passes. The plate I5 has laterally spaced holes -2I and 22- therein and. the plate vI3 has a hole 23 initsv portionvvll adapted toi aline vvithA the hole 22 when Ithe Ebai' sections II and I2 are in alined position. The bar section I2 has a hole 24 alined With the hole 2| in the plate I5.

A U-shaped clamping bolt 25 has a threaded shank portion 2B extending through the holes 24 and 2l and is provided with a clamping nut or Wing nut 2'I. The U-shaped portion 28 of the bolt 25 has a free end 29 forming one of its legs and adapted to extend through the alined holes 22 and 23 and into an alined hole 30 in the bar section I2 when the hinged bars are in alined position, thus locking the bars in this position.

The U-shaped portion 28 oi the bolt 25 extends over the center bar 8, and on the tightening up of the nut 2`I this bar is securely clamped between said bolt and either the top or bottom bar 6, said bar 8 at one side adapted to abut the straight edge portion I5 of the hinge plate I'I.

Where the tting above described is used to clamp the center bar to the relatively Xed tOp bar, the center bar is notched at 3| to receive the transverse part of the U-shaped portion 23 of the bolt 25 to lock said bar B against movement when the nut 2l is tightened up.

Where the fitting above described is used to clamp the center bar to the adjustable bottom bar 6, the U-shaped portion 28 slidably receives said bar Within it and is clamped to it in any adjusted position of the bottom bar 5 relative to the end bars Each of the hinge plates I3 and Il! may have an angled edge 32 to strengthen the plate and facilitate its alinement with its bar section during assembly of the hinge to said sections.

I desire it to be understood that this invention is not to be limited to any particular form or arrangement of parts except in so far as such limitations are included in the claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a curtain stretcher, the combination With a frame member thereof having bar sections connected together by a hinge having sections provided With alined openings in the alined position of said sections and a frame member extending at an angle to said rst named frame member, of a locking member anchored in one of said sections and extending through the openings of said hinge sections when said bar sections are in alined position to positively lock the same in such position and over said angularly disposed frame member, and means for moving said locking member, While in locked position relative to said bar sections, to clamp said last named frame member between it and said rst named. frame member.

2. In a curtain stretcher, the combination with a frame member thereof having bar sections connected together by a hinge having sections provided with alined openings in the alined position of said sections and a frame member extending at an angle to said rst named frame member, of a U-bolt having one of its legs carried by one of said bar sections of said first named frame mem--A ber and extending over 'and in clamping engagement With said second named frame member and having its free leg extending through said openof said sections and a frame member extending at an angle to said rst named frame member, of a U-bolt carried by said first named frame member and extending over and in clamping engagement With said secondnamed frame member and having one of its legs free and extending through the alined openings in said hinge sections when said bar sections are in alined position to positively lock the same in such position, the other leg of the bolt being threaded and extending through said first named frame member, and a clamping nut mounted on the threaded end of said bolt.

WERNER H. BOTHE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date '579,277 Lord et al. Mar. 23,y 1897 670,589 Hoffheins Mar. 26, 1901 676,895 Hoiiheins June 25,1901 749,702 Reed Jan. 12, 1904 815,382 Rush Mar. 20, 1906 991,781 Holmquist May 9, 1911 1,088,547 Dawson et al Feb. 24, 1914 2,217,003 Carlson Oct. 8, 1940 2,250,057 Block July 22, 1941 2,279,647 Watling Apr. 14, 1942 

